Cushion connection for vehicle construction



July 8, 1930. A. H. LEIPERT ,2

CUSHION CONNECTION FOR-VEHICLE CONSTRUCTION Fil ed Feb. 16, 1926Patented July 8, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIiCE AUGUST H. LEIPERT, OFNEW YORK, N. Y., A SSIGNOR TO INTERNATIONAL MOTOR COMPANY, on NEW "roan,N. Y.,

A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE CUSHION CONNECTION FOR VEHICLE CONSTRUCTIONApplication filed February 16, 1926, Serial No. 88,562, and in GreatBritain November 1, 1926.

This invention relates to cushion connec tions between parts of a motorvehicle one of which parts is to be connected to and supported by theother part. More particularly 5 the invention relates to a whollynon-metallic mechanical connection and support between a vehicle leafspring and the chassis frame and has for its object a structure ofextreme simplicity in the interest of ease and cheapness of manufactureand facility of installation. In the preferred embodiment of theinvention it is sought to utilize the co-operating parts of spring andchassis structure which are standard in automotive practice today.Accordingly it is proposed to interpose a block of yielding non-metallicmaterial between therespective ends of the spring and the longitudinalside member of the chassis frame and provide devices in the nature ofseats to engage spaced portions of the yielding non-metallic materialand rigidly retain such portions in operative relation with theconnected parts to prevent disassociation thereof in operation. Moreparticularly seats are adapted to be secured to the spring and chassisframe within which spaced portions of the respective block are adaptedto be secured preferably by means of bolts and the entire structure isso arranged as to be capable of ready assembly and disassembly asoccasion may require. In order that the invention may be clearlyunderstood and readily car- P ried into eifect the same will now bedescribed more fully with reference to the accompany- 5 ing drawingsillustrating a preferred embodiment thereof and in which:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation and partly in section showing acushion connec- 0 tion and support of the character forming the subjectmatter of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view in rear elevation showing the connection illustratedin Figure 1, parts being removed in the interest of clearness. i Figure3 is a view showing the shape of the block of yielding non-metallicmaterial before it is disposed within the co-operating seats anddistorted under compressive 5O stresses.

Figure 4 is a view showing the block of Figure 3 in end elevation.

Referring to the drawings the longitudinal side frame member a isadapted to be connected to and supported from the vehicle spring I) bythe wholly non-metallicmechanical connection and support according tothe present invention. It is proposed to utilize 7 as faras possible theusual structure which ing seats 0, d, which are U-shaped in crosssection as shown in Figure 1 and which are adapted to receive andsecurely hold spaced portions of a block of yielding non-metallicmaterial e serving as the cushion connection and support therebetween.The block is preferably formed somewhat oversize as indicated in Figures3 and 4: and the respective ends 6, Figure 4, are provided withenlargedcurvilinear edges 6 along the sides thereof forming therebetween aconcave portion 6 so that 1 when the block is slid endwise into therelatively long trough-shaped seat it will becomressed laterally andrigidly retained under internal static pressure in a directiontransverse to the block. Of course, being oversize, the block will bedistorted outwardly beyond the ends of the seats and to furthercontribute to the compression of that portion of the block 'within theseat end pieces are availed of whichcompress the block longitudinallythereof and also secure the block and seats to the respective connectedmembers. The end clamping members securing the seat ,0 and upper end ofblock 0 to the spring hornare illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 at f, 7,and

are provided at their uppermost portion with aperturedlugs f throughwhich a bolt 9 in the eye a passes to rigidly secure the same inclamping engagement with. the seat and block. At the lower extremitiesthe clamping members are formed with shoulders 7 cor responding infunction to portions 0, d of the seats which grip and compress theyielding non-metallic material within the retained portion. clampingmember is recessed as at f to permit of the distortion of the blocks andin order to still compress the metal within that portion of the clampingmember the seats are provided with ears 0 as shown clearly in Figure 2.

The lower seat (Z while similar in every respect to the seat 0 ispreferably secured to the end of the spring to prevent displacement inthe longitudinal direction of the spring by a rivet or the like it andthe lower clamping members i, i similarly have shoulders i and recessedportions '5 correspond ing to the shoulders and recesses f frespectively. Clamping members 2', however, are also so formed as torigidly engage the end of the spring and to this end they are formedwith a recess 2' within which the spring is disposed and outwardlydepending apertured lugs 2" are adapted to receive a through bolt jwhich serves to rigidly retain the two clamping membersi in clampingengagement with the seat d, the lowermost portion of the block ofnon-metallic material 6 and the spring end I). I

To further contribute to the securing of the spaced bolts of the blockof yielding nonmetallic material within the respective seats andclamping members bolts 70 may be availed of and these bolts are shown aspass ing through apertures f in the clamps and i in the clamps z' andalso passing through apertures e in the yielding non-metallic material.Preferably the end of the apertures e are countersunk as at e in orderto facilitate the insertion of the bolts therein and also to permit of adegree of distortion 7 when the material is placed under compression.

It is thought that the manner of assembly of thedevice will be readilyunderstood from the foregoing description. Upon assembly the spaced ends6, of the block 6 will be tightly gripped by the shoulders on the seatsand clamps and the blocks will be further retained against displacementwithin the seats by means of the bolts to prevent any possibility of thewithdrawal of the end of the block from the seat under conditions ofrebound, for instance. Normally the block 6 will be under considerablecompression due to the weight of the vehicle body resting thereupon andfor this reason the end surfaces 6 of the blocks are initially formedsomewhat concave as shown in Figure 3 but after the block is undercompression the peripheral surfaces will be distorted as shown at E Theconcave surfaces 6'. together with the somewhat greater width thanheight further materially contribute to the capacity the block has toresist side sway and axial Inwardly of the shoulder eachtwisting of thespring and thus an effective connection and support is provided betweenthe end of the spring and the chassis frame which requires nolubrication, is noiseless and is not subject to the same degree of wearas a connection involving metal tometal contacts. Rubber is preferablyutilized as the yielding non-metallic material since by maintaining itunder compression its resiliency, strength and wearing qualities arematerially improved. By the present construction the block 6 is alwaysunder a live load and consequently working internally at all times.

Various modifications may be made in the form and configuration of theblock and seats as well as in the manner of securing the respectiveclamps together and no limitation is intended by the foregoingphras'eology or illustrations except as indicated in the appended claim.

-What I claim is:

In a cushion connection of the character described, the combination withtwo parts, one of which is to be connected to and supported by the otherof a solid block of yielding n'onmetallic material mounted undercompression, portions formed thereon for securing the block in positioninter-engaging cooperating means carried with the respective parts toengage the securing portions of the yielding non-metallic material andretain said spaced portions under compression in all directionstransverse to that of the load and normally tending to preventseparation of the block from the seat, and means passing through theblock to hold it positively to the seat.

This specification signed this 11th day of February A. D. 1926. ,v

AUGUST H. LEIPERT.

